NEW YEAR's 2019.......THE COAL

 " I hope in this new year you make mistakes. make glorious, amazing mistakes that no one has ever made before.Don't worry that it's not perfect. DO it .  Make your mistakes. Next year. And forever..." - Neil Gaimon

 When I was growing up, new Year's was all about "THE COAL"....my mother  saved a few hunks of coal from years gone by. Every New Year's she'd haul it out. Always black and sooty to the touch.

 Day before New Year's , the two of us would scrub the house till it sparkled. My mother would even clean the carpet on hands and knees with a scrub brush and a bucket of soapy water. Afterwards, she would admire her handiwork and admonish that NO one could step on it. I always did. I'd run my bare feet  over the wet pile and make tracks. 

The Coal she would place on the front door step, hidden behind a garden pot.  She'd then take her broom and place it on the other side of the door. Then stand at the open door and  dare the New Year  to come in. The door would be shut and locked.  I would be told not to use the front door.

 When she had gone to  make supper, I would open the front door and look for the coal. My mother would yell at me from the kitchen to wait for the New Year. Wait. Then I would lock the door again.

 New Year's Eve, my mother counted down to midnight. And promptly then she opened the front door. I could hear the bells  and firecrackers peal out  in the dark. She  grabbed the broom and swept the front steps  with such a force  straw flew off the broom. 

  We stood on the threshold of a New Year. Satisfied she had swept away the old Year, she moved the coal to be right in front of the door. Then she'd lock the door again. And she'd wait.

 NEW YEAR's DAY.  In the morning she always invited my  teacher Ms. Rainer over for New Year's Sherry and Shortbread with a tea chaser. Ms. Rainer always came. Stood at the door and knocked. My mother peered out at her through the porthole window. "You'll have to use the back door," she hollered at Frona.

 "But I came for sherry and shortbread", was the reply.  "You're not Tall ,Dark and Handsome, you'll have to go around, to the back door,"  my mother would say. Ms. Rainer  complied. My mother let her in the back door. Stuffed her with Sherry and Shortbread. 

 "A tall, Dark, and Handsome Stranger must be the FIRST visitor of the new year. He must bring in the coal. For good things to happen in the New Year.I'm waiting for him to come today...."

  Ms. Rainer explained she saw the coal and pushed it out of the way to the side. My mother asked her to put it back in front of the door when she left. By the back door, of course.

On the afternoon of New Year's Day,  an elder, Mr. Swender, from the church, was coming by to drop off communion cards.She got the Sherry and Shortbread ready, and a cup of tea for each of them.To wash away the Sherry.  She  was pleased as punch. He will do nicely, she said to me. Not perfect. But nicely.
                                   
 When Mr. Swender came he knocked and knocked on the front door. Then knocked again. My mother looked through the porthole window.  She eyed the diminutive bald man in his dark grey suit. "Would you mind picking up the coal?" she said. 

.  "The coal?" said Mr. Swender. "Yes, down at your feet", said my mother.  Mr. Swender looked down and saw the coal plopped at the doorstep.  "This coal?" "Yes,"  said my mother. " You're not exactly tall, dark and handsome, but you''re wearing a dark suit, so that works...". "Ahhh, the COAL, yes, it's THAT time of year!" Mr. Swender collected the black, sooty coal.

My mother, beaming from ear to ear, let him in for Sherry and Shortbread.  He washed his hands, first, of course. They had known each other for many years. He knew of the old  custom .

A Tall, dark and Handsome stranger bringing coal into the home, will bring good fortune. Every year he made a point of making her his first visit of the new year.  To bring in the Coal for my mother. To bring her a New Year full of good things.

So, Happy New Year, Everyone.....may it be wonderful and full of coal!

Photographs 2019